N.M. Admin. Code § 20.4.1.901

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 21, November 5, 2024

Section 20.4.1.901 - PERMITTING PROCEDURES

A. Permit issuance or denial.

(1) Once an application is determined to be administratively and technically complete, the secretary shall prepare and issue either a draft permit or a notice of intent to deny.

(a) A draft permit shall contain all conditions, compliance schedules, monitoring requirements and technical standards for treatment, storage, and/or disposal provided for in 40 CFR Part 270.

(b) A notice of intent to deny shall state the secretary's reasons for the intended denial.

(2) Any draft permit or notice of intent to deny prepared by the department under Paragraph one of this subsection shall be accompanied by a fact sheet and shall be based on the administrative file. Copies of the fact sheet shall be sent to the applicant; to any state or federal agency, as applicable; and, upon request, to any other person.

(3) The secretary shall give public notice that a draft permit or a notice of intent to deny has been prepared, and shall allow 45 days for review and public comment, including requests for public hearing.

(4) If the secretary issues a draft permit, and a timely written notice of opposition to the draft permit and a request for a public hearing is received, the department, acting in conjunction with the applicant, will respond to the request in an attempt to resolve the issues giving rise to the opposition. If such issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the opponent, the opponent may withdraw the request for a public hearing.

(5) No ruling shall be made on permit issuance or denial without an opportunity for a public hearing, at which all interested persons shall be given a reasonable chance to submit significant data, views or arguments orally or in writing and to examine witnesses testifying at the public hearing. A public hearing shall be scheduled if:

(a) the secretary issues a notice of intent to deny, and a timely request for public hearing is received from the applicant;

(b) the secretary issues a draft permit, a timely request for public hearing is received from any person opposed to the granting of a permit, and such person does not subsequently withdraw the request pursuant to Paragraph four of this subsection; or

(c) the secretary determines, no later than five days following the end of the comment period specified in Paragraph four of this subsection, that a public hearing should be held notwithstanding the absence of a timely request for public hearing.

(6) The comment period specified in Paragraph three of this subsection shall automatically be extended to the close of any public hearing.

(7) The secretary shall give due consideration and the weight he/she deems appropriate to all comments received during a public comment period and to all relevant facts and circumstances presented at a public hearing.

(8) When ruling on permit issuance or denial, the secretary may disapprove in whole or in part, or make reasonable conditions to any permit, if it appears that the permit applied for will not meet the requirements of these regulations.

(9) At the time that any final permit decision is issued, the secretary shall issue a response to comments. This response shall:

(a) specify which provisions, if any, of the draft permit have been changed in the final permit decision, and the reasons for the change;

(b) briefly describe and respond to all comments on the draft permit or the permit application raised during the public comment period, or during any hearing, and

(c) be available to the public.

(10) A final permit decision shall become effective 30 days after notice of the decision has been served on the applicant, or such later time as the secretary may specify. This provision shall not be construed to extend the time for appeal of a permit decision as provided by the Hazardous Waste Act.

(11) The approval of a permit does not relieve any person from the responsibility of complying with applicable state or federal laws and regulations.

(12) The secretary shall notify the applicant by certified mail of any impending permit action and of any scheduled public hearing date.

B. Permit Modifications, Suspension and Revocation.

(1) The secretary may modify, suspend, or revoke a permit issued pursuant to Subsection A of this section for cause set forth in 40 CFR Part 270 and the act.

(2) The secretary may modify, suspend, revoke any permit upon his/her initiative, or if, after the department's investigation of the facts and circumstances, pursuant to the request of any interested person, such permit action is deemed warranted.

(3) Requests for permit modification, suspension, revocation shall be in writing and shall contain facts or reasons supporting the request.

(4) If the secretary decides that the request is not justified, the permittee will be notified in writing explaining the reason for denial. Denial of request of modification, revocation, and reissuance, or termination are not subject to public notice, comment, or hearings.

(5) If the secretary decides to modify or revoke and reissue a permit under 40 CFR section 270.41 or 40 CFR section 270.42(c), considered a major modification under the act, a draft permit shall be prepared incorporating the proposed changes. The secretary may request additional information and, in the case of a modified permit, may require the submission of an updated application. In the case of a revoked and reissued permit the secretary shall require the submission of a new application.

(6) Class 1 and 2 modifications under 40 CFR 270.42(a) and (b) shall be considered minor permit modifications under the act.

(7) In a permit modification under this section, only those conditions to be modified shall be reopened. All other aspects of the existing permit shall remain in effect for the duration of the unmodified permit. When a permit is revoked and reissued under this section, the entire permit is reopened just as if the permit had expired and were being reissued. During any revocation and reissuance proceeding the permittee shall comply with all conditions of the exiting permit until a new final permit is reissued.

(8) If the secretary decides to terminate a permit under 40 CFR section 270.43, a notice of intent to terminate shall be issued. The secretary shall follow the applicable procedures as required for a draft permit under Section 20.4.1.901 NMAC.

C. Public Notices.

(1) Pre-application public meeting and notice. Except as otherwise provided, the regulation of the EPA set forth in 40 CFR Section 124.31 through July 1, 2008 is hereby incorporated by reference.

(2) Public notice requirements at the application stage. Except as otherwise provided, the regulation of the EPA set forth in 40 CFR section 124.32 through July 1, 2008 is hereby incorporated by reference.

(3) Public notice of issuance of a draft permit or a notice of intent to deny, and of any public hearing scheduled, shall be given by publication of a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected, broadcasts over local radio stations and by mailing a copy of the notice to the permit applicant, those individuals on the department mailing list of persons interested in hazardous waste permit actions, and to any unit of local, state and federal government as may be applicable.

(4) All public notices issued shall contain the following minimum information:

(a) the subject, the time and place of any scheduled hearing and the manner in which interested persons may present their views;

(b) a brief description of the procedures by which requests for hearings may be made, unless already scheduled;

(c) the name and address of the office processing the permit action for which notice is being given;

(d) the name and address of the permittee or permit applicant, and, if different, of the facility or activity regulated by the permit;

(e) a brief description of the business conducted at the facility or activity described in the permit application or the draft permit;

(f) the name, address and telephone number of a person from whom interested persons may obtain further information;

(g) in addition, public notice of a scheduled public hearing shall also contain references to the dates of previous public notices relating to the permit;

(h) the notice shall state where interested persons may secure copies of any proposed draft permit or notice of intent to deny.

D. Fact Sheet.

(1) A fact sheet shall be prepared for every draft permit for a hazardous waste management facility or activity. The fact sheet shall briefly set forth the principal facts and the significant factual legal, methodological and policy questions considered in preparing the draft permit.

(2) The fact sheet shall include, when applicable:

(a) a brief description of the type of facility or activity which is the subject of the draft permit;

(b) the type and quantity of wastes which are proposed to be or are being treated, stored, disposed, injected, emitted, or discharged;

(c) a brief summary of the basis for the draft permit conditions including references to applicable statutory or regulatory provisions;

(d) reasons why any request for variance or alternative to require standards do or do not appear justified;

(e) a description of the procedures for reaching a final decision on the draft permit, including: the beginning and ending dates of the comment period, the address where comments will be received, procedures for requesting a hearing, the nature of that hearing, any other procedures by which the public may participate in the final decision, and the name and telephone number of a person to contact for additional information.

(3) The fact sheet shall be available at the time the public notice is published.

E. Information repository. Except as otherwise provided, the regulation of the EPA set forth in 40 CFR section 124.33 through July 1, 2008 is hereby incorporated by reference.

F. Hearings.

(1) Public notice of any public hearing shall be given at least 30 days prior to the scheduled date of the hearing and shall state the subject.

(2) Hearings shall be held in Santa Fe or within any area of the state substantially affected by the proceedings as specified by the secretary.

(3) The secretary may designate a hearing officer to take evidence at the hearing.

(4) All hearings shall be recorded by a certified court reporter. A transcript will be furnished to all persons for review at the department's main office. Costs of a copy of a transcript will be borne by those requesting such copies.

(5) In hearings, the rules of civil procedure and the technical rules of evidence shall not apply, but the hearings shall be conducted so that all relevant views, arguments, and testimony are amply and fairly received without undue repetition.

(a) Testimony for hearings on permit issuance or modification shall be presented in the following order: testimony by the applicant (such testimony is a prerequisite to the granting of the requested permit or modification), testimony by other persons (except the department) supporting issuance or modification of the permit, in any reasonable order, testimony by persons (except the department) opposed to issuance or modification of the permit, in any reasonable order, testimony by the department, and rebuttal testimony, as appropriate.

(b) Testimony for hearings on permit suspension or revocation shall be as follows: testimony by the department, testimony by other persons supporting suspension or revocation of the permit, in any reasonable order, testimony by the permittee, testimony by other persons opposed to suspension or revocation of the permit, in any reasonable order, and rebuttal testimony, as appropriate.

(c) In all hearings, cross examination of each witness shall be conducted by interested persons, in any reasonable order, immediately after that witness has testified.

(7) The burden of proof at hearings shall be as follows:

(a) for hearings on permit issuance or modifications, the burden of proof shall be on the applicant or permittee;

(b) for hearings on permit suspension or revocation, the burden of proof shall be on the department.

G. Secretary's decision.

(1) Any person heard or represented at the hearing shall be given written notice of the action of the secretary.

(2) The secretary shall notify the applicant or permittee of his/her decision and the reasons therefore by certified mail.

H. Appeals. Appeals of the secretary's decision shall be as provided by the Hazardous Waste Act.

(1) The filing of an appeal does not act as a stay of any action required by the secretary's decision.

(2) The record on appeal shall include the transcript of the hearing, all related correspondence, any responses to comments, and all other information relied upon by the secretary in deciding upon the permit action.

N.M. Admin. Code § 20.4.1.901

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXIX, Issue 21, November 13, 2018, eff. 12/1/2018